SMiLE: Five Keys to Language/Literacy

For Students With Severe Disabilities

Rhonda Bachmann
Raizy Blau
Enid Wolf-Schein

ASHA
Philadelphia
November 19, 2010
 Goals For Presentation:

TO:
• Describe the SMiLE methodology and program
implementation.

• Introduce two school districts (Florida, New York) who

have implemented SMiLE.

• Share SMiLE Materials and supports available

• Present data indicating literacy progress of students

with limited verbal abilities using SMiLE.
 Session Description

Uses 5 keys to learning to fully open

the door to proficiency in spoken and
written language.

Each key opens up an increasingly

complex Language Module.
SMiLE: is a step-by-step multisensory program,
based on the Association Method.

It teaches:
speech, the 5 areas of reading and writing
in an integrated way to individuals three years
and older with the most severe language-learning
and literacy problems including pupils who are:

 Autistic
 Brain injured
 Intellectually disabled
 Hearing and visually impaired
Key #1 is Module 1

• Focusing and imitating

• Learning letter-sounds

• Syllable combinations
 Key #2 is Module 2

• Decoding simple noun words

• Concept formation (comprehension) –

matching noun to picture

• Vocabulary building
 Key #3 is Module 3

• Verbs
• Colors
• Numbers
• Plurals
• Beginning knowledge of grammar
• More rapid speech and listening
comprehension.
 Key #4 is Module 4

• Constructing sentences
• Questions & answers
• Learning syntax—going from short,
simple repetitive sentences to more
complex words and sentence forms
• Enhancing social interactions
 Key #5 is Module 5

• Developing reading and writing

text-controlled stories

• Comprehension
 Background for Study
Broward County Florida
Beginning in 2002 the SMiLE Program was
introduced to several clusters of autistic
children in the Broward County Public
Schools, Florida.

This was based on a need to assist a

significant number of pupils who were
considered to be nonverbal, some with no
phonetic sounds at all, others with some
words but no reading skills.
 Sample Population November 2005

Number of Students: 57
Age Range 4.0 to 17.0

What were their initial skills?

Speech
 Non-verbal - minimal random sounds 28
 Few words or unintelligble speech 21
 Delays, limited conversation 8
Reading
 Non-readers 57
 School Year 2004 - 2005

• The success rate was so great that many

additional teachers and speech-language
pathologists requested and received
information and formal training.

• As workshops and in-classroom support were

implemented so was the use of a series of
data forms to acquire both formative and
summative data related to pupil progress.
 Background for Study
New York City District 75/Citywide
Administrators from District 75, NYC Department of
Education were introduced to the SMiLE program at the
YAI Spring 2008 Conference.
District 75 piloted SMiLE during the 2008-2009 school
year in 10 schools. Pre and post assessment data
showed literacy improvement in students with autism
and limited verbal skills.

District 75 expanded SMiLE during the 2009-2010

school year to an additional 40 schools within their
district as well as presenting SMiLE at individual
network/cohort trainings.
 Program Implementation
The training model in both school districts is similar:
• Schools send an instructional team (one administrator and
two teacher) who receive formal SMiLE training.
• There are three days of training approximately 6 weeks
apart.
• Each is followed by in-class support by district staff and Dr.
Wolf Schein.
• Teachers participate in ongoing webinars to ensure
accuracy in implementation.
• Video footage is shared to demonstrate specific SMiLE
modules.
• Collaborative blogs support questions.
• All students received pre and post screenings.
• Train the trainer sessions are also provided.
 Scope and Sequence
1. Attention getting 6. Word recognition
and imitation skills 7. Word building by
2. Phoneme imitation syllable
3. Sound-letter 8. Development of
picture/word association
knowledge
9. Transition to short
4. Auditory and visual sentences
discrimination 10. Development of
5. Sound and letter concept stories
sequencing
Language Module 1

Attention-getting activities

Beginning teaching of letter-sounds

Consonant-vowel syllable combinations.

 Attention Getting Activities
Purpose is to increase attention/focusing,
imitation and precise responses.
Additional benefit is on beginning reciprocity.

•Motor Imitation
•Imitation of Writing
•Imitation of Tongue Movements
•Imitation of Sounds
 Initial screening
When students have the concept of imitation we begin
developing phonemic sounds.

Step 1
Administer a SMiLE pre-screening to ascertain
beginning performance level in:

(1) phonemic imitation and letter-sound recognition.

(2) Imitation and reading of words and picture
recognition.

Screening is repeated at interim & post intervals

 Initial and Post Screening – SOUNDS
Pre-screen Date: Post-screen Date:
(1) (2) (3) (4)
Sound Imitating Reading Imitating Reading
spoken letter- spoken letter-
sound sound Sound sound
p (as in pot)
o (as in top)
m (as in mom)
ee (as in bee)
b (as in bike)
i-e (as in kite)
f (as in fish)
o-e (as in home)
t (as in tie)
k (as in key)
d (as in dog)
a-e (as in cake)
g (as in go)
oo1 (as in boot)
r (as in run)
u (as in up)
n (as in nut)
a (as in cat)
s (as in see)
i (as in sit)
 Initial and Post Screening – NOUNS
Pre-Screen Date: Post-Screen Date:
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Word Repeats Reads Matches Repeats Reads Matches
word word to picture word word to picture
bee
beet
bike
boat
bow
cat
coat
feet
gate
goat
key
kite
meat
mop
phone
pie
pot
tie
toe
top
 Teaching Phonemes
Module One teaches the following 10 sounds:

1. p as in pop 6. i-e as in bike

2. o as in top 7. f as in feet
3. m as in mom 8. o-e as in bone
4. ee as in beet 9. t as in toe
5. b as in bee 10. k as in kite

An accompanying Sound Skills Chart is used to track

progress.

A description of the six-step process follows:

 SMILE
Six Steps in Teaching Phonemes

Step 1 Introducing new phonemes

Step 2 Tracing letter, then articulating sound.

Step 3 Copying letter, then articulating sound.

Step 4 Auditory-Visual Discrimination Training

Step 5 Saying sound from memory or „reading‟

Step 6 Writing letter from memory

 Data Collection

A Sound Skills Chart indicates each of

the six steps for each of the first 10
phonemes to be taught.

These are used as the student begins

and acquires a skill.

A Sound Skills Chart follows.

 SMILE Sound Skills Chart
Pupil: Birthdate: Class/teacher:

Skill I = Initial starting Date

(Note performance level)
U = usually
S= sometimes M = Mastery Date Sounds*
R = rarely
* Suggested
teaching order p o m ee b i-e f o-e t k
I I I I I I I I I I
Repeats
sound after M M M M M M M M M M
teacher

I I I I I I I I I I
Traces
letter M M M M M M M M M M

I I I I I I I I I I

Copies M M M M M M M M M M
letter

I I I I I I I I I I
Points to/
matches M M M M M M M M M M
letters
when hears
sound
I I I I I I I I I I
Says sound
when shown M M M M M M M M M M
letter

I I I I I I I I I I
Writes
letter when M M M M M M M M M M
hears sound
 My Sounds Book
My Sounds Workbook
As soon as the student learns the first sound, a
My Sounds Book, the basal reader, is begun.
As each new sound is learned it is added to
the student’s book.

In addition all of the student’s written work as

well as writing practice sheets and activity
sheets are put in a binder which also serves
as an ongoing portfolio of his/her work.

Both books are developed AS the student

learns a new sound.
Sample cover

My
Sounds
Book
Rosa
Page 2 - Student’s picture
 First Letter-Sound Learned

Page 4 in p
My Sounds Book:
5 copies of letter p
• Different colors
p
• Surrounding design
same color p
• Only use right side p
page in book
 Drop drills
• When students learn 4 sounds they are introduced to
drop drills.

• A drop drill is a consonant-vowel combination

repeated three times in a descending order.

• Purposes:
– Teaching sequence of sounds
– Moving eyes left to right
– Reading top to bottom
– Improving auditory and visual memory
 Example of drop drill

po

blank page
po

po
 Supplementary Material

Teacher’s Guide to
Language Module 1
Language Module 2

Decoding simple noun words

(using ‘cross drill’)

Concept formation (comprehension) –

matching noun to picture

Vocabulary building
 Module 2
Teaching 50 - 60 Nouns
• Cross drill leads to learning words

• Reinforced by saying, reading and writing

as well as associating with objects and
pictures.

• Creation of My Words Book basic reader

and pupil My Words Workbook.
 SMILE
Six Steps in Teaching Nouns

Step 1 Writing syllable drills leading to a noun

(cross drill).

Step 2 Writing noun below the drill.

Step 3 Copying noun while articulating sounds.

Step 4 Oral recall:

Step 5 Auditory-Visual Discrimination training

Step 6 Writing noun after hearing it spoken, with

no clues.
Skill I = Initial starting Date
U = usually (Note performance level) Nouns*
S= sometimes
R = rarely
M = Mastery Date
* In order of
Teacher’s Guide
bee beet bike boat bow coat coke feet key kite

I I I I I I I I I I
Repeats and
copies cross M M M M M M M M M M
drill leading
to noun
I I I I I I I I I I
Writes new
word and M M M M M M M M M M
associates
with picture
I I I I I I I I I I
Copies
word while M M M M M M M M M M
saying it
I I I I I I I I I I
Points to
picture M M M M M M M M M M
when hears
word
I I I I I I I I I I
Matches
pictures and M M M M M M M M M M
written
words
Reads word
I I I I I I I I I I
Writes noun
from M M M M M M M M M M
 Syllable Cross Drill
A cross drill is a series of 3 consonant and
vowel combinations in three or four rows.
 Provides fluency for consonant-vowel
combinations
 Leads to a word
 Facilitates learning of secondary spellings
Cross drill leading to first noun

to to to

t o-e t o-e t oe

t ee t ee tee

toe
“toe” word and picture
 Supplementary Materials

Teacher‟s Guide to
Language Module 2
Structured Methods in Language Education
Basal Readers
Supplement to Language Module 2
/b/ /kc/ /d/ /f/ /g/ /h/
/k/ /m/ /p/ /r/ /s/ /t/
Language Module 3

Expansion of vocabulary:
• Verbs
• Colors
• Numbers
• Plurals
 SMILE Verb Skills Chart

Pupil: Birthdate: Class/teacher:

Skill I = Initial starting Date

U = usually (Note performance level) VERBS
S= sometimes
R = rarely
M = Mastery Date
Write in stand come walk hop jump run clap sit
additional verbs
down
I I I I I I I I I I
Repeats
verb word
M M M M M M M M M M
after
teacher
I I I I I I I I I I
Does action
with
M M M M M M M M M M
teacher
I I I I I I I I I I
Traces and
M M M M M M M M M M
copies verb
I I I I I I I I I I
Says word
when sees
M M M M M M M M M M
picture or
action
I I I I I I I I I I
Obeys
verbal
M M M M M M M M M M
command.
Matches
pictures and
written
words
I I I I I I I I I I
Writes verb
from
M M M M M M M M M M
memory
when hears
it spoken
 Teaching Verbs

At first stick figures are used to clarify that it is

the action and not additional features such
as clothing that is the target word.
 Plurals

1 one  bike

2 two  bikes

1 one  dog

2 two  dogs
 Supplementary Materials

Teacher‟s Guide to
Language Module 3
Language Module 4

Simple sentences:

Followed by the appropriate question

to elicit the sentence.
Goal:
To develop the pupil‟s capacity to say, read,
write, and understand short sentences and
questions that incorporate appropriate
grammar and syntax.

Sentences include:
• pronouns
• prepositions
• have/has
• present progressives
• past tense
 Begin teaching using familiar pictures

I see a 
What do you see? I see a 
I see a 
 Initial and Final Screening – Sentences
(Questions and Answers)

Pupil Name: Birthdate: Eligibility:

School: Teacher/Program:

Initial (I) Screening Date:__________ (1) (2) (3)

Repeats Reads Answers
Final (F) Screening Date:__________ Q - A Q - A question

1. What do you see? I see a bee. I I I

F F F
2. What is this? This is a boat. I I I
F F F
3. What do you want? I want an apple. I I I
F F F
4. Can a duck swim? Yes, a duck can I I I
swim. F F F
5. What color is the The heart is red. I I I
heart? F F F
6. Where is the mouse? The mouse is on the I I I
house. F F F
7. What does Pablo Pablo has a car. I I I
have? F F F
8. What is Billy doing? Billy is clapping. I I I
F F F
9. Which is bigger a ball An airplane is bigger I I I
or an airplane? than a ball. F F F
10. What do you do with You draw with a I I I
a crayon? crayon. F F F
Questions and Answers:

What do you see? I see a bee.

What is this? This is a bike.
 Supplementary Materials

Teachers Guide to Module 4

with practice sheets and
activities.
 Qu i c k Ti m e ™ a n d a
d e c o m p re s s o r
a re n e e d e d to s e e th i s p i c tu re .

Birds and Bees Frogs and Turtles

Cats and Dogs Rabbits and Kangaroos
Cows and Goats Horses and Snakes
Ducks and Fish Monkeys and Hens
Language Module 5

Description stories:
•Animals
•Inanimate objects
•Personal description
•Round-up

**Stories including questions and answers

 Stories developed include:

• Animal Description Stories

• Inanimate Object Stories

• Personal Description stories

• Round-up Stories

• Experience Stories
What is this? This is a boat.

What color is the boat? The boat is blue and

yellow.

How many sails has the The boat has two sails
boat?

Is it in the water? The boat is in the water.

 Supplementary Materials

Teacher‟s Guide to
Language Module 5

Farm Family Reading Series

 Farm Family Reading Series

Story 1 Mike Counts the Animals

Story 2 Mike the Teacher
Story 3 Fatty the Pig
Story 4 Emily and Her Doll
Story 5 Tom and His Toys
Story 6 Mike's Friends in School
Story 7 Betty and Sam at Home
Story 8 Mike at Home and Visiting Friends
Story 9 Tom Gets a Puppy
Story 10 Emily at the Farm
Story 11 Emily Goes to School
Story 12 Day Two in Emily's Class
Story 13 Day Three in Emily's Class
Story 14 A Birthday Surprise for Tom
Data collection - Materials include:
• Screening - Sounds, Nouns, Verbs, Colors,
Numbers, Sentences
— used for Initial and Final screenings. Also for Interim
Screenings as needed

• Letters for sound screening

• Words and pictures for noun screening

• Skill Charts - Sounds, Nouns, Verbs, Colors,

Numbers, Sentences

• Summary Report for School Year based on

screenings
Summary of Findings in Broward County
Data from 2004 - 2005 was informal, limited to
initial and final progress in reading phonemes
and nouns and not broken down into age
groups.

During 2005-2006 we piloted several forms.

Goal was to get maximum information in a
manner acceptable to teachers.

Findings from 2006 -2007 covered 5 areas and

is divided into school levels.
 Broward County
Distribution of schools, classes and pupils
based on average of 5.2 months teaching
School Year 2006 – 2007

#Schools #Classes* #Students

High Schools 6 7 17
Middle 2 2 4
Schools
Elementary 17 66
Kindergarten/ 6 31 19
Early Ed
Total 31 40 106
Broward Data Collection Procedures
• Teachers/SLPs were requested to do an initial
screening based on 14 phonemes and 14 noun-
words before initiating the SMiLE program and at the
end of the teaching period.

• The screenings were short and easily done in a few

minute period. More in-depth formative data was
available in ongoing student charts.

• Because many students exceeded 14 sounds starting

in 2009-2010 the screening was based on 20 sounds
and 20 words.
 Initial and final number of letter-sounds READ by pupils
Broward County 2006 -2007

HS / MS Elementary PS / Kgn
# Letter-sounds N = 21 N= 66 N= 19
read Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final

0 11 0 45 0 15 0

1-5 4 1 13 17 2 5

6 - 10 4 8 5 26 2 8

11 – 14+ 2 12 3 23 0 6
 Results Reading Sounds
BC 2006 - 2007

This slide shows that at the beginning of the

SMiLE there were 71 students who did not
read even one phoneme.

At the end every student had advanced.

Subsequent years will not show such dramatic

results because they include students who
had been in the program for one or more
years who did not start from 0.
 Table 7.
Initial and final number of nouns read by pupils
2006 – 2007
HS / MS Elementary PS / Kgn
# Nouns N = 16 N = 42 N = 10
read Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final

0 13 1 31 5 10 3

1-5 2 6 8 13 0 2

6 - 10 1 6 3 12 0 4

11 – 14+ 0 3 0 12 0 1
 Results Reading words
BC 2006 - 2007

This slide shows that at the beginning of the

SMiLE there were 54 students who did not
read even one one word.

At the end there were only 9 with no words.

There were no students with more than 11

words to start. At the end 16 students had
achieved that level.
 District 75, New York City
Department of Education

District 75, in the New York City Department of

Education implemented the program in the
fall of 2008 in 10 schools. Pre and post
assessment data showed literacy
improvement in students with autism and
limited verbal skills.

Their first year results follow:

 New York City 08-09
Average Percentage Increase

100.0%

90.0%

80.0%

70.0%

60.0%

50.0%

40.0%

30.0%

20.0%

10.0%

0.0%
Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final
Sounds Imitated Sounds Read Words Imitated Words Read Spoken Words
to Pictures
 NY Data Findings 08-09
 74% of students showed improvement in all categories.
 100% of students showed improvement in at least one
category.

SOUNDS READ:
 The sample group averaged 17% initially in the category of
sounds read.
 By the end the sample group averaged 75% in the category
of sounds read, showing an increase of 58%.

WORDS READ:
 The sample group averaged 20% initially in the category of
words read.
 By the end, the sample group averaged 64% in the category
of words read, showing a 44% increase.
 NY Handicapping Conditions

Students with mental retardation who

were instructed using the SMiLE
methodology, showed an increase of
69.3%

Students with autism who were

instructed using the SMiLE
methodology, showed an increase of
53.8%.
 Data: 2009 - 2010

• New York City Public Schools

• Broward County Public Schools

 Broward SMiLE 2009-2010

100.00%

90.00%

80.00%

70.00%

60.00%

50.00%

40.00%

30.00%

20.00%

10.00%

0.00%
Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final

Imitates Reads Repeats Reads Matches noun

spoken sound letter sound noun noun to picture

 Average Percent Increase in 2009 - 2010
New York City N = 72
Broward County N = 84

NYC BC
Imitates Spoken Sound 11.8 17.4

Reads Letter-Sound 52.8 42.0

Repeats Noun 12.0 18.5

Reads Noun 49.0 35.0

Matches Noun to Picture 32.6 30.8

 Overall results
• Both younger and older students made
significant gains. Initial levels of middle and
high school students were only slightly higher
than younger students.

• Older students enjoyed working in program

and were proud of their success.

• Program expanded into other areas of

exceptionality.
Integration in Total Class Curriculum

• Teachers had no problem implementing

SMiLE for those students determined to need
this type of structured language approach.

• Many teachers decided to implement SMiLE

to include other students as the school year
progressed.
 Training paradigm

• Most effective teaching was to have three trainings:

SMiLE into Sounds
SMiLE into Words
SMiLE into Sentences and Stories

• Several trainings in each group were offered so

teachers and SLPs could go back to their schools
and implement the initial modules and then return
when students reached the next level.

• In-class mentoring and availability via e-mail and

telephone was provided.
 Additional materials
Plus

CD 1 Support Materials

CD 2 Basal Readers
SMiLE Short Books
Farm Family Reading Series

CD 3 Auditory and Visual

Discrimination Materials
My Book of Tools
 For further information:

scheinej@aol.com

RBlau@schools.nyc.gov

Rhonda.Bachmann@BrowardSchools.com